Champion Rules

Chapter 303, Page 299: The Greatest Defensive Player in History (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

The last time the Chicago Bulls reached the Eastern Conference Finals was in 1998.

That was exactly 13 years ago.

At that time, Michael Jordan had not yet undergone tubal ligation.

At that time, Lynch had not yet become a model.

At that time, the Derrick Ross family was struggling to survive on the streets of Inglewood, Chicago.

Now, in 2011, Derrick Rose has gone from a poor street kid to the second youngest MVP in NBA history.

The day before the Eastern Conference Finals began, the league finally announced this major award, like a thunderclap.

Since 2006, Derrick Rose has become only the second player, after Kobe Bryant, to snatch the MVP award from Lynch's near-monopoly.

This seems to be yet another piece of evidence that Derrick Rose is about to overthrow the old order.

Although Lynch was younger when he won the MVP, Derrick Rose's sudden emergence still sparked heated discussions.

With the entire 03 draft class overshadowed by Lynch's brilliance, Derrick Rose, the son of the Windy City, has raised the torch and become a symbol of the strong rise of American basketball.

The next day, at the United Center in Chicago.

The Eastern Conference Finals have not yet begun, but the media swarming the sidelines has already arrived.

In the pre-match interviews, almost all the questions revolved around the newly awarded major prize.

Lynch naturally became the focus of relentless questioning from reporters.

"Do you think this MVP change of hands is related to aesthetic fatigue? Like people say, maybe the judges are just tired of voting for the same person every year? After all, you have won the MVP award four times in the past five seasons."

"You shouldn't insult a newly crowned MVP like that, as if it were a handout instead of an honor."

"You don't seem to care much about losing the MVP award?"

"Of course I care, but Derek definitely deserves it."

Reporters were surprised by Lynch's reaction after losing the MVP award.

Logically speaking, someone as competitive as him should be extremely irritable.

However, you can't say that Lin Qi was completely indifferent at this moment; his deep-seated pride still made his resentment written all over his face. But what he showed was more like an almost cold-blooded scrutiny of the established facts.

He accepted the fact that he lost the MVP award very calmly.

However, when the reporters changed the question, Lynch's attitude suddenly changed.

"Derrick ended your chance for a three-peat MVP, so is he capable of going a step further and completely ending the Knicks' path to a three-peat dynasty?"

Lin Qi's gaze sharpened instantly, becoming as piercing as an icicle.

The previous tranquility was gone, replaced by the aggression that only comes when a beast's territory is invaded.

He extended his finger and slowly but firmly shook it towards the camera, as if he were nailing something of utmost importance to the spot from afar:

"Don't even think about it."

Lynch, who was just analyzing "aesthetic fatigue" and acknowledging Derrick Rose's value, has vanished. Standing before the reporters now is the King of New York, who only revealed his true fangs when he sensed that the core interests of the dynasty were threatened.

Lynch wasn't indifferent to the MVP award, but at this moment, a goal far more important than this individual trophy was drawing all his attention.

Before the game, the Bulls held a brief award ceremony for Derrick Rose at their home arena.

The spotlights cascaded down, focusing on the young number 1.

Lynch watched silently in the darkness as David Stern handed the trophy, symbolizing the league's supreme individual honor, to the young number 1.

Beside him, Steve Nash gazed at the glittering Center of Glory, shook his head and murmured, "It feels like I just won the MVP yesterday, but now, someone who wasn't even in the league back then has taken this honor."

Lynch patted Steve Nash on the shoulder: "Don't worry, Steve. Some things, no one can take away from me unless I let go."

The MVP trophy shining brightly at the United Center undoubtedly injected a powerful stimulant into the Chicago Bulls.

The team's morale was soaring like boiling oil on a hot fire.

During the regular season, the Chicago Bulls and Knicks were tied 2-2, with the Bulls holding their own.

So now, when they have an MVP leading the team, they believe the balance will be broken.

Derrick Rose was near the center circle, and fate brought him together with Lynch for the third consecutive year in the playoffs.

The first-round sweeps of the previous two years were a nightmare he couldn't shake off.

This year, he stepped onto the highest level of competition in the East, but the number 20 still stood in his way.

He knew that number 20 was an unavoidable peak that he had to climb.

Only by completely crushing this mountain under their feet can the Chicago Bulls truly conquer the East!

Derrick Rose was about to say a few words to Lynch, but Lynch spoke first: "Derrick, congratulations on winning the MVP. You know what my favorite moment is? The moment I personally lock the newly crowned MVP in the cage!"

These words made Derrick Rose subconsciously lick his dry lips, a bitter taste spreading across his tongue.

Last night, when he learned that he had been crowned the regular season MVP, he burst into tears like a child and cried uncontrollably in his mother's arms.

Brenda Rose, the woman who single-handedly raised four children in one of Chicago's most chaotic and dangerous neighborhoods with an iron will, is his eternal superhero.

So what does this MVP mean?

This means he has successfully triggered the Lynch Rule, and can now sign a larger contract with the Bulls.

This means that Adidas will treat him as their top star and offer him a lifetime contract.

This means that his mother will no longer have to suffer.

So, upon learning he had won the MVP award, Derrick Rose's first words were: "Mom, the hard times are over, they're all over!"

But tonight, Lynch's words made Derrick Rose swallow hard.

mom
It seems like the worst is just beginning!
During the regular season, the Knicks' strategy against the Bulls was very simple and brutal—Lynch devoted all his energy to the defense, even giving up the offense to his teammates, in order to lock down Derrick Rose, the Bulls' sharpest horn.

With Tom Thibodeau's overly simplistic offensive system, the Bulls' offense lost its biggest threat once Derrick Rose was shut down.

Of course, occasional hot streaks by other Bulls players allowed them to steal two wins against the Knicks in the regular season.

But you can't expect other players to have a hot hand and win a series for the Bulls.

Derrick Rose took a deep breath, preparing to face hell.

The MVP trophy didn't intimidate Lin Qi; instead, it seemed to excite him even more, like a long-legged model wearing sexy stockings.

Chris Bosh, the "King of Ostriches," chuckled and said that if Lynch let him go to help defend Rose, he was confident he could destroy the Knicks!
The game began with the Knicks gaining possession of the ball first.

Surprisingly, Lynch didn't completely give up on offense; Steve Nash passed the ball to Lynch just past half-court.

Tom Thibodeau frowned. Was Lynch planning to take on everything on both offense and defense?
This is truly a top-class racing donkey that makes your mouth water!

However, Lynch did not dribble and attack; he simply controlled the ball at the top of the key, directing his teammates to make runs, and then passed the ball to Steve Nash, who had made an open run.

Derrick Rose was repeatedly screened off the ball, and the "Son of the Wind" hit a three-pointer.

The Knicks' strategy was very clear: let Lynch be the playmaker, and then let Steve Nash be the spearhead, targeting Derrick Rose's relatively immature defensive abilities. They not only wanted to shut down Derrick Rose on the defensive end, but also to continuously bleed this young MVP from the defensive line.

The Bulls are on offense, and South Sudanese British Chicago athlete Luol Deng is even more nervous than when he first entered his female classmate's room.

Because Lynch is directly matched up against him today, it means he will have a lot of offensive opportunities.

The Knicks didn't match up Lynch against Chris Bosh, as they were wary of Bosh's scoring ability.

They would rather Lynch let Luol Deng go than Chris Bosh.

It's easy to imagine how much pressure Lorre Deng was under.

Tonight, if we play well against the British Jordan, we'll play poorly against the British Qiao Shan!
As soon as Derrick Rose started, Lynch was immediately drawn to him.

Derrick Rose passed the ball to Luol Deng, who immediately took a three-pointer!
Lynch rushed back at top speed, but still left Lor Deng a slight opening to shoot.

However, the three-point jump shot bounced off the rim!
Although Luol Deng has consistently averaged over 15 points per game, he is not a player with particularly explosive scoring ability.

He struggles to score difficult goals or goals that are contested.

DeAndre Jordan grabbed the rebound and passed the ball directly to Lynch.

Lynch calmly dribbled across half-court, and as soon as he reached the vicinity of the three-point line, the Bulls immediately pressured and double-teamed him.

But Lynch flicked the ball with one hand, and it flew towards Steve Nash, who had already made a quick cut to the basket.

The Wind Child made a floater, giving the Knicks a 5-0 lead.

Derrick Rose is the Bulls' biggest defensive weakness, and the Knicks' current strategy is to exploit this weakness relentlessly.

Perhaps Steve Nash would have a hard time beating Derrick Rose in one-on-one situations with the ball, but if they play off-ball, the still inexperienced Derrick Rose would have no advantage, as his lack of defensive experience would be magnified.

It's targeted, it's targeted everywhere, it's been targeted from the very first second of the game.

The strategy the New York Knicks devised against the Chicago Bulls highlights the essence of the playoffs—find a G-I-T, then go all out and attack relentlessly, giving them no chance to breathe!
Lin Qi fought his way into and out of the modeling world seven times.

Tonight, he will make the MVP experience the pain that Victoria's Secret models go through.

In the next round, Derrick Rose decided to challenge Lynch.

He can't keep hiding and fighting.

He can't leave all the offensive burden to Luol Deng.

How can someone disappear from the offensive end like LeBron James, scoring only 5 points in a single game?
He can't.

He must confront Lynch, the most despairing iron curtain standing between him and victory.

However, what greeted the newly crowned MVP's ambitious aspirations was a heavy sigh from the United Center, a sigh that resonated throughout the entire city.

But Lynch's blood loss turned Derrick Rose's attempt into a sigh of despair at the United Center.

Derrick Rose's attack was lightning fast, but Lynch's help defense seemed to anticipate the future.

Like a apex predator that has caught the scent of blood, he instantly cut off Derrick Rose's path to the basket.

When the Windy City Rose jumped with all his might, the ball was just a hair's breadth away from his fingertips, but that terrifying black arm was already following closely behind, firmly nailing the basketball to its upward trajectory!

Derek Rose's courageous attempt was ruthlessly crushed by Lynch.

Although Lynch lost the MVP award this season, he won the DPOY award for the third consecutive season—an unparalleled honor in NBA history.

There is still debate about whether Lynch is the GOAT, but fans are in complete agreement on whether he is the greatest defensive player of all time—no one in the entire history of the NBA has ever achieved such a breathtaking level of dominance on the defensive end as Lynch.

Dikembe Mutombo is a strong rim protector, but his defensive coverage radius is limited.

Big Ben Wallace was a roaring lion of the dark defensive era, but his height limited his ability to lock down opponents in the low post.

Kevin Garnett is considered the most perfect defender, but Lynch surpasses him in almost every defensive skill—the area covered by help defense, the agility of switching, the pressure of one-on-one defense, the timing of the game, and the deterrent effect of the block.

On the defensive end, you can't find any weaknesses in Lynch.

This is exactly the kind of defensive player Derrick Rose is facing right now.

DeMar DeRozan got the ball, and the Knicks had another chance to widen the gap.

Fortunately, Steve Nash missed his mid-range catch-and-shoot jumper in this possession.

But for the Knicks, the tactical objective has been achieved.

The offense will be considered a success if Derrick Rose is forced to chase Steve Nash like a hound.

Derrick Rose called for a screen and pulled up for a jump shot from mid-range.

Lynch failed to block the shot, but timely interference caused the Windy City Rose's shot to deviate from the target.

In the following possessions, the Bulls struggled offensively.

Tom Thibodeau, the best defensive coach, is now being tormented by the Knicks' defense.

Chris Bosh's sporadic scoring barely kept the Bulls' scoring lifeline afloat, but Derrick Rose's offensive bar remained glaringly empty.

Halfway through the first quarter, Rose's personal score remained at 0.

To boost morale, Tom Thibodeau yelled during a timeout, "Don't rush, no one in this world can freeze an MVP forever!"

Even after the timeout, Derrick Rose remains shrouded in the immense shadow of number 20.

He suppressed his impatience and chose to direct the ball towards Chris Bosh, who was still in good form tonight.

Chris Bosh turned his back to Wilson Chandler, bumped him twice, and then turned and shot a jump shot—the trajectory of the basketball was wildly off course. DeAndre Jordan only realized when he was about to grab the rebound that it wasn't a jump shot, it was an alley-oop!

Derrick Rose cut into the penalty area like a sharp knife, leaping high into the air!
This is an alley-oop pass from the power forward to the point guard!
Yes, no one in this world can lock down the MVP.

Derrick Rose is not the kind of point guard who can't play off the ball at all.

The Windy City Rose caught the basketball steadily in mid-air, and the fans at the United Center stood up, ready to cheer for the explosive dunk that was about to happen.

But the next second——

"boom!"

All the fans at the United Center gasped, and Mike Brin's voice broke out after a few seconds of hesitation:

"Lynch! He actually blocked Derrick Rose's alley-oop dunk! My God, he's like a net covering the entire half of the court, giving Derrick absolutely no chance, not even a glimmer of hope!"

There is only one person in this world who can lock down the MVP.

And now, he's right in front of the MVP!

Lynch landed, his gaze meeting Derrick Rose's.

That look in his eyes didn't seem like he was looking at the MVP; it was exactly the same as it had been three years ago, as if Derrick Rose was just a respectable but harmless guy.

Derrick Rose once believed that he could shake up the old order in the East.

But tonight, the pillars of the old order did not even falter under his onslaught.

Despair spread rapidly from the very first quarter.

(End of this chapter)